Trojan horse toy



Feb. 23, 1960 l. A. METRULIS TROJAN HORSE TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 3, 1958 7 m w/ w m v .0 A W. mx U m Il m M w W 4 b2 1 mm 4 5 4 W w 4 1 A 4 llwv A II L w. A. W U 4 W I: mm 2 \kwm 3 m M g m 4 I. y 5 m f .1 1! 0 M wb 2 v 7 .wA/m, INA/'- IIIOI 2 l L1 4 1 13% Q W E m w. .w 4 a Qnce upon a time the brave arrnie of Greece and ATTORNEY United States -This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in toys.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved toy which simulates the wooden horse of Troy. The toy has concealed within the body of the horse a plurality of toy Greek soldiers adapted to emerge reahstlcally in an amusing and entertaming fashion when side doors in the horse are opened, as if reenactmg the fabled capture of Troy by the Greeks.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the body of the horse with a hollow chamber and with opposed side openings covered by folding door ramps which when lowered form a part of the exit ramps for thesoldiers. V

Still further, the presentinvention proposes constructing the door ramps with spaced tracks to guide the soldiers and providing a pair of inclined plane members foidably mounted in the chamber of the horse with spaced tracks adapted to guide the soldiers and slidably to hold them.

Another object of the invention proposes forming the soldiers with magnet or magnetized base portions and forming the inclined plane members and door ramps with tracks made of magnetic material with which the magnetized base portions will be attracted so that the soldiers will remain erect while emerging from the horse. In these portions the soldiers can be lifted from the ramps or inclined members for separate or repeated play.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,

and to the appended claims in which the various novel.

features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: r

Fig. 1 is a side view of a toy constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. '2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the folding ramp doors open.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the foldingramp doors open; I

,Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken online 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on a still further enlarged scale taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 5, with the upper part of the soldier broken away.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the soldier descending the ramp in the inclined plane member.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a scroll shown stored in the body of the horse in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and usable in playing with the toy to reenact the fabled story of the siege and fall of Troy.

Referring to the drawings, the toy animal in accordatent C i Patented Feb. 23, 1960 'ice 2 ance with the present invention is in the form of a horse simulating the wooden horse of Troy and designated generally by the reference numeral 15.

Horse 15 has a platform 16'mounted on wheels 17 simulating or being'wooden wheels. One or more hooks 13 may-be securedto one end of the platform and one or more come 19 ma be fastened to the hook or hooks.

Horse 15 has a body 20 and legs '21, 22, 23 and 24 which are fixed to platform 16 The body 20 has sides 25 and 26am! a hollow chamber 27 located between the sides.

'Sides 25 and 26 have opposed access openings 28 and 29, respectively, which connect with the chamber 27 and make the chamber accessible from either side of the horse. 7

Folding ramp doors 30.and 31'cover the access openings 28 and 29 respectively. The'doors are identically constructed, each having an upper edge portion 32 removably secured by a strap 32 to pin 32 on the body 20 above an access opening, and lower edge portions 33 are pivotally secured by hinges 34 to the body 20,

below an access opening 28 or 29.

Inside the chamber 27 a pair of inclined plane members 35 and 36 are slidably mounted. The members 35 and 36 are identically constructed, each having a magnetic metal top plate47 and a wooden base 48. The top or upper edge portions 37 {and 38, respectively, of the memhere 35, 36 are pivotablysecured together by a hinge.

These doors are formed of magnetic material 'so that tracks 43 and 43' will attract the magnetized bases of the soldiers. Tracks 43 and 43' terminate short of the edges 32 of the doors and are disposed in vertical planes below tracks 42 and 42 respectively, and in coplanar alignment therewith when the doors are open and the members 35 and 36 are inclined as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Toy Greek soldiers 44 are provided with magnet or magnetized base portions 45 slidably but removably 'to fit on the tracks 42 -42 and 43, 43'. i t

A scroll 46 containing the story of the Trojan horse is removably mounted in the chamber 27 beneath the inclinedplane' members 35 and 36. When the doors 30 and 31 are closed, the inclined plane members 35' and '36 are concealed inside the chamber 27 and the toy soldiers 44 are held in the staggered fashion shown in Fig. 2., The force of magnetic attraction between the magnetized base portion 45 and the magneticimaterial of the trackin which it is disposed is just enough to equal the weight of the soldier. The soldiers are manually placed in the positions shown in Fig. 2 before the'doors are closed.

When the doors are opened and lowered, gravity moves the members 35 and 36 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 while the soldiers remain suspendedat the upper ends of the tracks. The player may now tap or rap the body 20 of the horse or may jog the horse by repeatedly pulling upwardly on cord 19 to lift the platform and then letting' the platform and horse drop smartly down on a supporting surface. The soldiers will be thus jarred from their positions at the upper ends of the tracks on plane members 35 and 36. The downward impulses thus imparted to the soldiers will and 42 formed'in the plate be s ufiicient to cause them to slide downwardly. The soldiers in tracks 42 and 42 which terminate in the inclined members 35, 36 will be stopped at the lower ends 50 of the tracks. The soldiers in. tracks 42 and 42 will slide to the ends of the tracks and then drop downwardly into the coplanar tracks 43 andr 43,-respectively, where the soldiers will continue their downward movement to be stopped at the ends 52 of the latter tracks in doors 30 and 31. During the descent of thesoldiers, the inclined rear; sides 45 of the bases 45 Wl'll be juxtaposed to the bottoms of the channeled traclrs. The bottom sides 45 of the bases 45 come to rest on the ends-50, 52 of the tracks when .the soldiers conclude their descent in the traclcs, as shownin Figs. 4, 'and '6."The magnetic attraction between the base portions 45 andthe .tracks will cause the soldiers to remain upright 'in'all positions shownin Figs 2-7. In

Fig. '2 the soldiers may lean forwardly slightly but they assume a full upright position when the doors 30 and 31 are opened and the inclined members 35 and 36 open to assume the position of Fig. 3.

If desired, doors 30 and 31 can be flung open so that their lower ends strike the platform 16. This movement will create a suificient jar to start the soldiers sliding down their tracks. Also, when the doors are opened suddenly, the members 35 and 36 slide apart and settle with a jar. in openings 28 and 29 on the doors 30 and 31' so that additionalimpulses are provided to start the soldiers moving downward.

The sudden'simultaneous or successive movements of the several soldiers which accompany the jogging or shaking actions of the horse and player are entertainin'g and amusing to the player and spectators. This play can be accompanied by a reading of the scroll 46 to heighten the realistic effect of reenacting the fabled story of the Trojan horse.

If any soldier slides only partly down a track and there remainssuspended, a further jogging of the horse will dislodge the soldier and it will continue to slide to the bottom of its track.

After the soldiers slide down their respective tracks they can be removed and restored to their initial positions at the top ends of the tracks and the doors 30, 31 can be closed for repeating the play described above.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A toy animal comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform, said body having a hollow chamber between the two sides, saidsides-having opposed access openings to the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit over the. access openings in the sides and having lower edge portions pivotally secured-to thebody'beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp doors are lowered into an open position, and a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane'members insidethe chamber.

' 25A toy animal comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform, said body having a hollow chamber between the two sides, said sides having opposed access openings to" the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit' over the access openings in the sides" and having lower edge Porti pivotally cured to the body beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings, a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp doors are lowered into an open position, and

r a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane members inside the chamber, said body being that of a horse and said figure'membersbeing toy soldiers. I f

3. A toy animal, comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform,"said body having a hollow chamber between the two sides, said sides having opposed access openings to the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit over the access openings in the sides and having lower edge portions pivotallysecured to the 1 bers inside the chamber, said body being of wood and simulating the wooden horse of Troy and said figure members being toy Greek soldiers.

4. A toy animal comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform, said body having a hollow chamber TI between the two sides, said sides having opposed access openings to the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit over the access openings in the sides and having lower edge portions pivotally secured to the body beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings, a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp doors are lowered into an open position, and a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane members inside the chamber, said body being of wood and simulating the wooden horse of Troy and said figure members being toy Greek soldiers, said soldiers having magnetized base portions and said inclined plane members having tracks formed of magnetic material slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers.

5. A toy animal comprising a platform, a body cured to the body beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings, a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in'the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp doors are lowered into an open position, and a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane members inside the chamber, said body being of wood and simulating the wooden horse of Troy and said figure members being toy'Greek soldiers, said soldiers having magnetized base portions and said inclined plane members having tracks formed of magnetic material slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers, the tracks in the inclined plane members being staggered and spaced to dispose the soldiers at different levels on the inclined plane members.

6. A toy animal comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform, said body having a hollow chamber between the two sides, said sides having opposed access openings to the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit over the access openings in the sides and having lower edge portions pivotally secured to the body beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings, a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp dooms are lowered into an open position, and a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane members inside the chamber, said body being of wood and simulating the wooden horse of Troy and said figure members being toy Greek soldiers, said soldiers having magnetized base portions and said inclined plane members having tracks formed of magnetic material slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers, said folding ramp doors having tracks formed of magnetic material adapted to align with the tracks of the inclined plane and slidably to hold the magnetized base'portions of the soldiers.

7. A toy animal comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform, said body having a hollow chamber between the two sides, said sides having opposed access openings to the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit over the access openings in the sides and having lower edge portions pivotally secured to the body beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings, a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp doors are lowered into an open position, and a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane members inside the chamber, said body being of wood and simulating the wooden horse of Troy and said figure members being toy Greek soldiers, said soldiers having magnetized base portions and said inclined plane members having tracks formed of magnetic material slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers, said tracks of the inclined plane members being staggered and spaced to dispose the soldiers at different levels on the inclined plane members, said folding ramp doors having tracks formed of magnetic material adapted to align with the tracks of the inclined plane and slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers.

8. A toy animal comprising a platform, a body mounted on the platform, said body having a hollow chamber between the two sides, said sides having opposed access openings to the chamber, a pair of folding ramp doors adapted to fit over the access openings in the sides and having lower edge portions pivotally secured to the body beneath the access openings and upper edge portions removably secured to the body above the access openings, a pair of inclined plane members having upper edge portions pivotally secured together and lower edge portions slidably mounted in the chamber for movement out the access openings when the ramp doors are lowered into an open position, and a plurality of figure members slidably mounted on the inclined plane members for enclosure with said inclined plane members inside the chamber, said body being of wood and simulating the wooden horse of Troy and said figure members being toy Greek soldiers, said soldiers having magnetized base portions and said inclined plane members having tracks formed of magnetic material slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers, said tracks of the inclined plane members being staggered and spaced to dispose the soldiers initially at difierent levels on the inclined plane members, said folding ramp doors having tracks formed of magnetic material adapted to align in vertical planes with the tracks of the inclined plane members and slidably to hold the magnetized base portions of the soldiers, the tracks of the folding ramp doors having lower ends staggered and spaced to dispose the soldiers at difierent levels on the doors.

No references cited. 

